1/2A Multi Engined Profile Scale event.

Every October since 2007 a Scale event has been held in Tucson, Arizona that is a fun event as well as competitive. It's the MEPS contest comprised of multi engined designs of all nations, modeled in profile, flown while powered by .049's, .050's, .051's and 061's.

I have been to two of the contests and helped my youngest son compete against some of the finest C/L pilots and builders in the country. We've done well with lessons learned and advice offered by these experiences and our fellow competitors respectively.

After enjoying the contests so much I have made a point to attend and build my own model for 2013. I would suggest this as a first competition for anyone with a desire to fly Scale, or just wanting to join in. The models can built very simply making it a perfect beginners event, or one can make a complex model with many features.

I have a photo selection of the features on my sons P-38M Night Lightning that he built from a Sterling P-38 Stunt kit wing and tail but with new more accurate booms and pod and vertical shapes. He used common materials, and easy to purchase Scale accessories to detail his model, like the Robart strut covers, Dubro and Robart wheels, and vacuform P-38 specific parts from Guillows. Most of the models are in the 20 to 40 inch wingspan range for twin engined subjects and Michael's model is 36 inches.

I'll post more as time goes on about this event and the models and designs available in hopes of us adding a few more participants to the roster and perhaps we can add Scale to our local SoCal C/L contests like was so popular in the 90's.

Too much fun! We used to run a 049 Profile Combat contest for years, simple rules, equal recognition for both the combat and the scale models. All stopped when the local bureaucrats stopped all model flying in the municipality. That contest often had 50 or more entrants, and was the greatest thing for the local teens.

The engine mounting is a good place to start on the MEPS designs. Construction like a typical Stunt model profile is fast, easy and makes for a strong motor mount. The strong part is important because the engines will tend to wander and vibrate in a harmonic that will make tuning difficult to impossible if the motor mounts are not sufficiently stiff. Large doublers over rock maple mounting beams were how we went and it work reasonably well. The design was for 5 inch long 3/8's square motor mount beams and 1 inch balsa doublers.

The rules are that the cowlings can be any width but the fuselages may not exceed 1 inch. The pod is 1/2 inch and booms 3/8ths on the P-38.